Oh Honey, Honey
by RedLion2
Summary: A Bob-White gives Honey a reason to stay in Sleepyside.


I do not own _Trixie Belden_ or the characters in the book series.

I am normally a Brian/Honey fan, but I could see this couple making sense as well. After all, a rich girl and a former gang member? Who couldn't see that?

Oh Honey, Honey

Dan Mangan swallowed hard as he watched the three girls in front of him as they walked down to the lake. They were laughing and teasing one another, and one in particular had no idea how her tinkling laugh drove butterflies swarming through his stomach.

"You're awfully morose," Mart Belden, Dan's best friend, said under his breath.

Dan ignored him. He didn't need any distractions. He kept his dark eyes pinned on the girl to the right of Trixie, Mart's younger sister. Honey Wheeler, as if sensing his direct gaze, looked over her slim shoulder and smiled at him. He almost tripped.

"Ask her already," Mart said, and he wasn't nearly as quiet as Dan would've liked him to be. He shook his head. Not here, not with everyone else around them.

The Wheeler's lake spread out before them like a huge diamond, the sunlight winking and skipping across its calm surface. It was still warm for late September, and Honey had arranged a quick picnic, followed by swimming. Dan's face grew warm just thinking of Honey in her suit. Mart sighed, threw him an annoyed look, and hurried to catch up with the girls. He put his arm around Di Lynch, his girlfriend of six months, and cast a smirk back at him.

It wasn't fair.

But then, life wasn't fair. Of all the Bob-Whites, he knew the most about that. Jim Frayne, Honey's older adopted brother, knew the truth of that as well. _Wonder what Jim will think about this. _Dan rubbed the back of his neck. _And Brian. But they did break up, right?_ Still, the thought of Brian Belden getting furious was almost enough reason for him to rethink his future actions. Mart and Trixie's older brother rarely showed his temper, but when he did, it was frightening.

"Dan? Are you okay?"

He stumbled and jerked his head up. Honey was watching him, sweet concern in her hazel eyes. He tried to smile. "Yeah, I'm okay," he said. _Thanks for your concern. Oh, and by the way, want to go out next Friday?_ He scowled at the wayward thought.

"You don't look okay," Honey pressed. She had stopped, her arms crossed over her chest. Mart and the other girls continued on down to the water.

"Well, I am," he said, and instantly felt low. Honey swallowed and started to turn away, her head down._ Way to go, idiot._ "Honey, wait," he said. He hurried to take her left arm, stopping her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you." Feeling the silky softness of her arm beneath his hand was spiking his pulse.

She tried to smile at him, but failed, and he caught a glimpse of tears. "It's okay. I shouldn't be prying." Her voice was shy, and she wouldn't meet his gaze.

Dan frowned and fought back his frustration with himself. There was something here that was upsetting Honey. _Brian, maybe?_ Trixie had told him the break-up was mutual, but what if it hadn't been? What if Honey was still hung up on the college freshman? _One way to find out._

"What's bothering you?" he asked, keeping his deep voice low and gentle.

She shrugged and stepped back from him. "Nothing. Come on, we should go to the dock."

Dan glanced behind him and saw the other three unpacking the food. But eating wasn't a priority at the moment. Finding out what was wrong with Honey was. "Honey, I can tell something's wrong. You know you can trust me." He'd worked hard on that after joining the Bob-Whites. Coming from a New York street gang hadn't exactly earned him kudos in that area.

She nodded, but kept quiet, and he knew he wasn't leaving this alone until they'd talked. "We should go," she whispered, and the beseeching look she gave him broke his resolve.

"Okay, but we need to talk later," he said, and followed her down to the shore by the dock. She picked right up with laughing and bantering with the others, but he saw now how forced it was. She was in pain over something, and hiding it. Well, he had to admit, well enough that not even the school girl shamus herself seemed to pick up on it.

After lunch, the girls spread out their beach towels to soak up the late afternoon rays, and Mart settled in with a new book. Di's CD player was softly playing an oldies station, and the strains to _Candy Girl_ by the Archies was drifting over the beach. Dan sat back from the others, just contemplating and admiring. Honey was quiet, but he didn't feel it was the right time to ask her anything. Maybe later, when the others weren't around.

An hour or so later, he watched her get up and walk over to the dock. Pulling himself into a sitting position, his dark eyes narrowed as she walked to the end of the long wooden structure. _Has it been an hour yet?_ He glanced at his watch, and saw that it had been, just. And Honey was an excellent swimmer, probably the best in their club. Still, as good as she was, she wasn't the strongest, and if she developed muscle cramps, she'd be in trouble.

He got up and jogged out onto the dock, smiling when she gave him a questioning look. "Thought I'd join you," he said, and casually pulled his black T shirt over his head. He couldn't help but notice her admiring glance, and he grinned again. _Score one for me_. And as for her...He took a deep, calming breath. Her suit, a one-piece of dark gold, complimented everything about her.

Honey smiled and turned her attention to the water. Executing a simple but perfect dive, she disappeared into the dark blue depths. Dan quickly came to the edge, holding his own breath. She surfaced soon, water clinging to her hair and shining along her sleek, toned skin. He gave her a thumbs-up, and dove in to join her. They swam out to a second, smaller dock that was attached to a water slide, and he helped her up onto it.

"Thanks," she said, smiling as he sat next to her.

"No problem."

They were quiet for a bit then, Dan contemplating what to say to her. "Nice day for this," he finally said.

"Yes, it is," she said. Giving him a sideways glance, she added, "I don't need a babysitter, Dan. I waited an hour."

So she had correctly guessed his intent. "Just, though. And Jim would have a righteous fit if something happened to you while he was away." _And probably Brian, too._

She turned her head away. "I guess so."

"What's wrong?" he asked, and touched her shoulder for a moment.

"Nothing. Everything. I don't know. I feel so mixed up." She gave a small laugh. There was nothing merry about it.

"Does it have to do with Brian?" He sure hated to ask, but wanted to know.

"Brian? No. No, that's actually something I've gotten figured out. It's just everything else." She stopped, but he didn't speak, hoping she'd continue. "We were really close, but things kind of cooled off over the summer. I think the crush finally ended, you know? And that's all it ever really was."

"So, if it's not that, then what is it?" He tried to sound careful, tactful, when the thing he really wanted to do was reach over, turn that lovely face to him, and kiss her senseless.

"Oh, everything. I miss Jim something fierce. I feel so alone at the Manor with him gone. We text all the time, but it's not the same. And my parents want me to consider studying abroad for the second semester, at some school in London." Her voice became despondent.

Dan's heart dropped. "Oh, really? Is that something you'd want to do?" _Please, please say no. Don't even be considering it._

"I don't think so. I'd miss everyone way too much. But, there is a part of me that thinks it might be good for me," she said, and he scowled. "Dan? You're scaring me," she added, and he managed to set his mouth into a small frown instead. "What do you think?"

_What do I think?_ About a thousand things leapt into his mind, but he knew there was really only one thing he could say, and say honestly. "I think you should stay here, and I can show you a really good reason."

She smiled. "My friends, right? My home?"

Dan leaned close to her. "Not exactly. How about this?" And ever so gently, lest he frighten the one girl he always wanted to protect, he kissed her.

"Oh." Honey's hazel eyes were wide and a bit shocked as he drew back, and he immediately hoped that he hadn't completely weirded her out or anything. But there was a glow on her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes that hadn't been there before, and he knew, instinctively, that he had done the right thing.

"You okay?" he asked, reaching to run his hand lightly down her arm.

"Oh, better than okay. But, Dan, how long have you felt this way?"

"Long enough. But I wasn't going to do anything as long as you were with Brian," he told her. That wouldn't have been honorable or right, and it could've cost him two of his best friends.

Honey smiled, almost shyly, and took his hand in hers. "You know, I've always kind of wondered about you. I mean, we're good friends, but I don't honestly know a lot about you." She looked at him, and he smiled, squeezing her hand.

"Now's the time to learn, Miss Wheeler. Whatever you want to know," he said.

"Hmm." Honey seemed to be considering, and he concentrated on her lovely face, wondering what kinds of things she would want to know about him. He wanted to know everything about her.

"Well, I think the first thing I want to know is," she paused and bit her lip delicately, "will you kiss me again?"

Dan's heart leapt, and he nodded. "Anything you want," he told her, his voice husky with emotion. She smiled and turned to completely face him. He took her face in his work-roughened hands, and pressed his lips to hers, almost unable to believe what he was doing.

_Me, street tough turned small town, kissing a gorgeous, sweet, honest to goodness heiress. _He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers, jet black hair touching golden brown. "It's going to be a good school year," he said.

"A great one," Honey whispered. And then she kissed him.


End file.
